How I clean my hydroton.

So, when it comes to remove'n roots from hydroton, it can be a flat out pain in the arse!!! ...after trying a few different methods I realized that roots like to stick into screens. Here's how I go'bout it!


...Paint strainers!



Let hydroton sit 24-48 hours in clearex


Place rinsed/drained hydroton in 5 gal bucket with paint strainer inside, fill with fresh H2O


Rinse the rocks well by simply lifting the bag several times....set bag to the side (notice the roots sticking to the strainer)



Place clean strainer in 5 gal bucket, refill with fresh H2O...be sure to fill the 5 gal bucket pretty full...then using smaller portions of rocks, rinse several times by lifting the strainer. As you lift the strainer, the roots try to follow the flow of the H2O as it rushes out of the tiny wholes in the bag...which get them lodged for the most part.



...rocks should be clean!



...the roots/sludge



...to gather the roots for easy disposal, simply dip the strainer back into the water and give a few dips...all roots/sludge gathers to bottom.

After I have chopped my plants in my flood and drain I flood the system and remove the majority of the rootball by hand.I then flood the system with Liquid Oxygen several times I then remove the solution add fresh water into my res and add Cannazym which breaks down the old roots for feed for the next grow.I do not remove the pebbles at all.

Fenderman said:

After I have chopped my plants in my flood and drain I flood the system and remove the majority of the rootball by hand.I then flood the system with Liquid Oxygen several times I then remove the solution add fresh water into my res and add Cannazym which breaks down the old roots for feed for the next grow.I do not remove the pebbles at all.

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...really? You NEVER remove the rocks? ...wow.

easiest method i found is to get big metallic pots that fit in oven, just empty grorocks in and put in oven for couple hours, roots burn and become like ashes, fill pots and rinse with water, all residues go down the drain, everyhting is sterilized and ready to plants, no pain

zem said:

easiest method i found is to get big metallic pots that fit in oven, just empty grorocks in and put in oven for couple hours, roots burn and become like ashes, fill pots and rinse with water, all residues go down the drain, everyhting is sterilized and ready to plants, no pain

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This is how I do also, works well.

i have soaked mine in bleach & run thru the dishwasher in in a silverware bin that closes. The stuff is cheap enough I am just going to buy new from now on.

wiseguy316 said:

i have soaked mine in bleach & run thru the dishwasher in in a silverware bin that closes. The stuff is cheap enough I am just going to buy new from now on.

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dude thats probably the hardest method to clean em. it dont make sense to rebuy grorock every grow. my method is easier than the process of buying then opening the dusty bags and rinsing them. just throw em in oven and reuse.

i just get new hydroton less risky

Zem,

What temp?

Marko420 said:

Zem,

What temp?

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put at max to make it faster. grorock is made from clay expanded at 1200C so it can take high temps easy

Great idea!!!! Never thought of puting them in the oven.

I just buy a new bag of hydroton...works every time!

...it's going to take a whole bunch of pots to get all my hydroton in the oven,...and a whole lot of ovens. My hydro store has made a damn fortune off of me, I'll pinch all I can.

trichlone fiend said:

...it's going to take a whole bunch of pots to get all my hydroton in the oven,...and a whole lot of ovens. My hydro store has made a damn fortune off of me, I'll pinch all I can.

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lol yeah i got a bigass oven and big pots. theres another option, you can spread them along a floor and leve em couple days, trick is to let roots dry, they become easier to remove, then you can just refill plant pots then flood them with peroxide solution then rinse em

heres how I do it:: it is the easiest way i've come across. i have enought hydrton for two grows so when one grow is complate i give 'em a simple rinse with the hose and toss into a huge rubbermaid tote, and let them stay in there for 2 1/2 months till the next grow is done, by then the roots have dried and died of compleatly, another rinse with the hose and there ready to grow. then repeate with the next batch. By the way during my flush I'll get the ppm's in the res to be around 50 constantly, then blast it with H202 to clean up any chemical or other problems

I find it's worth the extra money to buy new stuff that way you don't get any mildew or other problems. I use the flood and drain buckets and when I'm done you cant even hardly see any hydroton because the root mass is so thick and healthy it might be easier to clean in other hydo systems. they make stuff that is made to clean hydroton but never used it. my advise is replace it every time just to be on the safe side

i don't know about mildew, but its a good way to get brown algea from reusing it. Even after cleaning the heck out of it.

I like the idea of keeping them in the flood tray. Just take the majority of roots out then leave the stuff in the flood table and have it cycle a few days with H2O2 to sterilize it all. Maybe an enzyme as well I suppose. Dont know about leaving them in the same pot. I might try just dumping them all into the tray . Seems like it would be nice and easy to work on the flood table since it is up high and lots of surface area to work with, Been taking them outside and using totes, buckets etc etc and it just seems like such and inefficient PITA. I have around 10 50 L bags worth on my back deck right now which would be about $300 worth not to mention the hassle of hauling more home all the time. Someone told me you should really let the stuff dry out after you clean it for 48 hours .